1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason
of my haste that is in me. 3I have heard the reproof
which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding
answereth me. 4Knowest thou not this of old time, Since
man was placed upon earth, 5That the triumphing of the
wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment? 6Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto
the clouds; 7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own
dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he? 8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall
be chased away as a vision of the night. 9The eye which
saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more
behold him. 10His children shall seek the favor of the
poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth. 11His
bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the
dust. 12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though
he hide it under his tongue, 13Though he spare it, and
will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth; 14Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within
him. 15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit
them up again; God will cast them out of his belly. 16He
shall suck the poison of asps: The viper's tongue shall slay him.
17He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams
of honey and butter. 18That which he labored for shall
he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the
substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice. 19For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken
away a house, and he shall not build it up. 20Because he
knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that
wherein he delighteth. 21There was nothing left that he
devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure. 22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand
of every one that is in misery shall come upon him. 23When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of
his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.
24He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of
brass shall strike him through. 25He draweth it forth,
and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out
of his gall: Terrors are upon him. 26All darkness is
laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown by man shall devour him;
It shall consume that which is left in his tent. 27The
heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up
against him. 28The increase of his house shall depart;
His goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath. 29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage
appointed unto him by God.

21 Job 21

1Then Job answered and said, 2Hear
diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations. 3Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock
on. 4As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I
not be impatient? 5Mark me, and be astonished, And lay
your hand upon your mouth. 6Even when I remember I am
troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh. 7Wherefore
do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? 8Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their
offspring before their eyes. 9Their houses are safe from
fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. 10Their bull
gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her
calf. 11They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance. 12They sing to the timbrel and
harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe. 13They spend
their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
14And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire
not the knowledge of thy ways. 15What is the Almighty,
that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray
unto him? 16Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand:
The counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17How oft is
it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity
cometh upon them? That God distributeth sorrows in his anger?
18That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that
the storm carrieth away? 19Ye say, God layeth up his
iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that
he may know it: 20Let his own eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21For
what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his
months is cut off? 22Shall any teach God knowledge,
Seeing he judgeth those that are high? 23One dieth in
his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet: 24His
pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
25And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never
tasteth of good. 26They lie down alike in the dust, And
the worm covereth them. 27Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me. 28For ye
say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein
the wicked dwelt? 29Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And
do ye not know their evidences, 30That the evil man is
reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day
of wrath? 31Who shall declare his way to his face? And
who shall repay him what he hath done? 32Yet shall he be
borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb. 33The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall
draw after him, As there were innumerable before him. 34How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there
remaineth only falsehood?

The Holy
Bible, American Standard Version - First published in the year of
our Lord (Anno Domini) AD 1901, by Thomas Nelson & Sons, Publishers.
Also called the Standard American Edition - Revised Version.www.BibleABC.net